Nearly everyone in this episode suffers from naive notions that they really should be over by now. Oliver naively believes that Malcolm would surrender his power. Felicity naively believes (though thankfully only for a moment) that her returned father has changed. Nyssa believes that Oliver would kill Malcolm for her, after all she knows Malcolm has done to Oliver personally. Malcolm believes that power is more important than Thea. Even Flashback Chick thinks that giving her jailer the stone will make him set her free. Silly rabbits, Trix are for kids.

But I’m gonna focus this quickie review on the two women driving the forces of the A and B story. Nyssa and Thea.

Nyssa Goes to Mount Doom

Nyssa and Malcolm have more in common than they think. They risk the life of one person (whom they both actually like and care about in some way) because they want power. I’m not sure if Nyssa’s goal all along was to disband the League. It seems that Laurel’s words about Ra’s’ power over her changed her mind from wanting it to not wanting to be imprisoned by the shadow of her father (pun intended). But before that moment, she does just want Malcolm is doing — risking Thea for power.

What bothers me the most about the whole Nyssa story line, is that Nyssa should be able to take down Malcolm herself. I know how stories work — Oliver is the protagonist, so he must be the most active member of the story and more often than not, resolve the problem — but Nyssa should be way more qualified to take down Merlyn than Oliver. She’s been in the League her whole life. Oliver was in it for a few months. Yes, Malcolm is older and trained and possibly a little older than we think he is, but that just means that Oliver’s defeat of him in season 1 was a fluke, not that he’s actually the only person capable of defeating him. Nyssa was trained by the same person who trained Malcolm, at best they should be equals and constantly tie. But we hardly get to even see them fight and Nyssa seems to think, without much proof, that Malcolm would defeat her. How is this possible? How is Nyssa not Malcolm’s equal for her being the Daughter of the Demon? And how is Nyssa’s self esteem that she wouldn’t believe herself capable of defeating him anyway? I think she would be more fearless and more confident.

Finally on Nyssa, why oh why does she insist on acknowledging Oliver as her husband? She doesn’t even like men and she’s still in love with Sara! I suppose it’s a respect for her culture thing, also, I think it’s 72% the reason why she disbanded the League. “In the eyes of the League, I am Nyssa’s husband.” Nyssa basically said, okay, no more League! But the constant reminders that they are married, with still no official resolution of, “okay so we’re NOT married. Here are League divorce papers.” In the end, Oliver wants to get married to Felicity quicker. Will he have two wives? (The answer already seems to be zero wives, because Felicity in the flashforward… I’ll get to that later). Anyway, seems like Nyssa destroyed the ring (must have been a sacred fire of some sort to melt the ring that fast) in order to get a divorce and finally be free. Live your best life, Nyssa. Make smart choices.

Felicity Signs Up For Zazzle

Felicity wants to make shirts for her and Thea regarding their terrible fathers. Only if Nyssa can join the club. Felicity’s dad’s return makes Felicity wonder if maybe he could be back in her life, but she wisely tests him to see if he had an ulterior motive — of course he did. Even without the reveal of her role in Team Arrow — seriously, how easy did he find out about that? Feels like everyone could find out by looking on page 3 of a Google search — and him being evil, Felicity suddenly becoming the CEO of a multi-million dollar company that just innovated battery power would be suspicious. At the very least, he’s an “out of the woodwork” family member coming to get money from his rich daughter. The evil hacking nemesis angle is just adding a Green Arrow sheen on to it.

Felicity calls the police on her dad — calling the best thing she’s had to a dad, Quentin Lance, to come get him. Kinda wish they’d had a moment together, even if briefly.

Before winding down…

I wanna get to the Olicity of it all. Their moment at the end of the episode was beautiful. It warmed my heart. But Malcolm knows about William and is going hard with Damien to exploit it. Oliver KNOWS that Merlyn knows, so his smartest option would be to tell Felicity. Of course, he still remembers the alternate timeline, where she got mad at him, and is trying to avoid that, but it’s going to be so much worse if she finds out from Malcolm/Damien!

Oliver though, is “handsome, but not all that bright,” so he clearly must not see this. It does, however, frustrate me that every Olicity scene, no matter how heartfelt and wonderful and sweet, is tainted with the knowledge that in 4 months or so, Felicity will be so upset with him (likely over the William lies) that they are no longer engaged. Felicity, in that flashforward, doesn’t even look at him as she commands that he kill “him” (most likely Damien, but after her and John’s support this week, it could also be Malcolm — finally), which seems to be further proof that their relationship is fractured. It just really sucks that every scene between them is spoiled because we know (mostly) what is coming.

Flechettes

• Did we ever find out who was hiring Noah Smoak? Seems like he just does this as a contracted hacker, but is his employer important? Is it Damien? Will Noah return later this season? If it’s Donna Smoak in the grave, we can bet on it.
• Oliver’s confused face at Felicity’s father reveal. Perfectly subtle comedy by Stephen Amell.

• When Donna gets that bass in her voice after Felicity reveals Noah is in town? Ooh! Great turn by Charlotte Ross.
• “Here you are. Outnumbered, outgunned, outmaneuvered.” THE WORD IS PLANNED! OUTPLANNED. HAVE YOU NOT BEEN LISTENING TO HAMILTON THE MUSICAL, MERLYN!?
• Even Nyssa says “RETREAT” Like Charles Lee.

• “We will forgo the removal of shirts.”
• Felicity’s wink.
• “I haven’t come empty handed.” “So to speak.”
• Was the Lotus Elixir Listerine?